Peeta Vs Cato
by Donovan Stanfield
Summary: This is the fight between Cato and Peeta after the Tracker Jacker attack.


I was the first to get back to camp and then I saw her. She had stolen Glimmers's bow and was crumpled on the ground, probably succumbing to the tracker jacker venom. I panicked Cato wasn't far behind "What are you still doing here?" I hissed she stared at me with those grey eyes confused as I heard Cato closing in "Are you mad?" I begin prodding her with the shaft of my spear. "Get up! Get Up!" she finally gets to her feet, but I don't stop pushing at her. I shove her away while screaming as loud as I dare "Run! Run!"

Then Cato slashes his way through the brush. Sword raised and anger flooding his eyes, when she begins to run off. I always thought of Cato as an arrogant idiot, but it didn't take him long to put two and two together and guess what had happened "You let her go?" anger abundant in his voice.

"No," I respond "She had her arrow drawn on me. We were at a standstill, I was about to make my move when you distracted me!" I try to match his fury so my argument would be convincing, but Cato saw right through me.

"I knew I should've killed you when I had the chance!" Cato exclaims "No I'm going to fix that !" He uses his sword to swing low and I block with my spear. Being part of the careers I had done my fair share of killing, but this was my first fight and I wasn't fully prepared. While that thought was still in mind, Cato had raised his sword overhead and I almost didn't have time to block the blade from hitting me. The spear was light for quick movements like the one I had used in training, but I was outmatched and if this fight were going to continue I would eventually be outnumbered. My best hope would be to stick Cato and while he would be recovering from the wound I would sprint to a good hiding spot.

I realized than in order for my plan to work I would have to go on the offensive instead of playing defense. So I begin swinging my spear like a club with the pointed tip aimed at Cato. Cato dodges most of my attacks and blocks the others. My inexperience with this weapon must obviously be showing because Cato has a slight grin on his face. Before I can calculate what He was thinking Cato swings his sword as violently as he can muster and before I know my weapon hits the ground and my hands are vibrating violently due to the blow.

When Cato begins to swing again I am out of the way. I roll over to my supply bag which carries my large knife and position myself to swing. I miss Cato by a hair, when he stabs me in the leg. A sharp cry of pain escapes my lips as Cato's grin becomes even more devilish. And that's when the hallucinations kick in. Cato's face starts peeling off in a bloody mess; I'm paralyzed by the horror that haunts my eyes. Trees turning into giant pools of blood, my hands forming tiny little eyes, spiders crawling from out of the ground, and finally when I look at Cato his face has been replaced by someone else's… "Katniss?" I ask in horror, I only get a quick glance at her before snakes force their way out of her eye sockets. I run, I run from it all. The horrors that plague me and I just want it to end, but it doesn't, in fact they get more terrifying with each moment. I see my family being slaughtered before me, my skin melting until there's nothing but bone, and Katniss is everywhere. She's screaming the whole time. I see Cato slit her throat, I see her being set on fire, and then she starts screaming my name for mercy, for a way to set her free from her never ending suffering.

I can't tell what's real or not, but one thing is certain: I'm losing a lot of blood and I'm not in control of my mental faculties. I hit the ground and stay there for who knows how long, I thought going to sleep would stop it, stop the nightmare, but it doesn't. I wake up to new nightmares each time, and when I finally do come to I'm next to a river, far away from the careers, and Katniss. I pray her hallucinations weren't as bad as mine. When I try to move and immense pain shoots though me and. I realize that I'm not going anywhere with the condition my leg is in, not having any other choice I use mud, leaves, and pine needles to camouflage myself. My leg is in a terrible state and it won't take long for me to bleed out so I lay there in the mud waiting to die.


End file.
